Curriculum › Grade 5 › Mathematics

Coordinate Plane and Classifying Shapes

  • Grade 5
  • Mathematics
  • 5.G.A.1
  • Geometry
  • ★ Enrichment

Aligned to 5.G.A.1 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

What this lesson teaches

The coordinate plane uses two number lines that cross to locate points. A point is named by an ordered pair (x, y): the first number tells how far right, the second how far up. You can also classify shapes in a hierarchy, since a square is a special rectangle.

Worked examples

Example 1

Plot the point (3, 2). Start at zero, move 3 to the right, then 2 up. That spot is the point (3, 2).

Example 2

Plot (0, 4). The first number is 0, so do not move right at all — go straight up 4 from the origin.

Example 3

Order matters: (3, 2) and (2, 3) are two different points. The x-coordinate always comes first.

Practice questions

  1. Where do you move to plot (4, 1)?
  2. In the pair (5, 0), what does the 0 tell you?
  3. Why is every square also a rectangle?

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

El Plano Cartesiano y Clasificación de Figuras

El plano cartesiano usa dos rectas numéricas que se cruzan para ubicar puntos. Un punto se nombra con un par ordenado (x, y): el primer número indica cuánto te mueves hacia la derecha y el segundo cuánto te mueves hacia arriba. También puedes clasificar figuras en una jerarquía, ya que un cuadrado es un rectángulo especial.

Ejemplo 1: Grafica el punto (3, 2). Empieza en cero, muévete 3 hacia la derecha y luego 2 hacia arriba. Ese lugar es el punto (3, 2).

Ejemplo 2: Grafica (0, 4). El primer número es 0, así que no te muevas a la derecha — sube 4 desde el origen.

Ejemplo 3: El orden importa: (3, 2) y (2, 3) son dos puntos distintos. La coordenada x siempre va primero.

More Geometry lessons

Graphing Points to Solve Problems5.G.A.2Shared Shape Properties5.G.B.3Sorting Shapes in a Hierarchy5.G.B.4

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